One of former Major League Baseball Player Jackie Robinson’s quotes was, “A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives.”
As someone who had not met Travis Thomas until Thursday evening, I learned very quickly through hearing others talk highly of him that based on Robinson’s quote, he’s had a hugely important life.
Thursday night at the Bogalusa County Club, a ceremony was held to celebrate Thomas being the 2016 Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
“It’s a big night tonight for the Citizen of the Year Award 2016 to honor Mr. Travis Thomas,” Johnnie Crain Sr. said Thursday prior to the ceremony got under way. “I tell you, he’s in a class of his own. He’s a man that’s got compassion for people. He’s a man that’s got a big heart. He’s a man that somewhere has touched everybody in this city and probably throughout this parish with his generosity. He’s always there, the first one to step up and help and assist. He’s a good family man — great brother, great grandpa — just strictly a good family man and he’s a God giving man. He’s a good Christian man. Tonight is Travis Thomas’ night and we’re here to honor him.”
Throughout Thursday’s ceremony, which is sponsored by The Daily News, several people took the mic and complimented Thomas, 76, on the type of person he is and how giving he is. Current and former employees of Thomas were in attendance.
When asked if he does charity type of work, the modest Thomas said said that if somebody needs help, they do that, but then added he doesn’t like tooting his own horn about that.
“People in need, we try to do what we can for them,” Thomas said.
Thomas, who owns Travis Grocery & Market in Bogalusa, said it’s a great honor to be Citizen of the Year.
“It’s really surprising to me,” Thomas said. “It’s just an honor. I was really surprised to get this. I appreciate, I sure do.”
When he’s not working, Thomas is an outdoorsman.
“I run hounds. I enjoy it,” Thomas said.
Thomas said they go to field trials and it’s something he enjoys. He said they go all over.
“We have a place out in the country I go to and I just enjoy my life,” Thomas said.
Thomas has been a Bogalusa resident for more than 50 years.